In the United States, millions of people celebrate Christmas by featuring fruitcakes on their tables. However, after the holidays are over, families toss the unpalatable loaves in the trash rather than eat them. In 1996, a group in Manitou Springs, Colorado, decided to approach fruitcake-tossing with some extra imagination. They gathered in a public park to dispose of their unwanted holiday cakes. However, instead of just throwing them out into the trash, the group literally threw the dense wads as far as they could. Competition ensued.

National Fruitcake Toss Day is celebrated every year on January 3!

The first Great Fruitcake Toss was held on January 3, 1996 in Manitou Springs, Colorado.